Crank case attachment



July 31, 1934- L. SCHREIBER ET Al.

CRANK CASE ATTACHMENT Filed DSC. 12, 1932 nvcnlor Pix.

By Y /I llornc y Patented July 3,1,

UNITED STATES 1,968,713 CRANE. oAsE ATTAcHrmNT Leon Schreiber and John Olschlager, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors of ten per cent to David S. Schreiber and ten per cent to Archie L. Schreiber, both of Cleveland, Ohio Application December 12, 1932, Serial No. 646,894

4 Claims.

" 'Our inventicn relates generally to attachments for internal combustion engine crank cases, and

particularly ,t that class of such attachments which have-,for their purpose for heating and purifying of .the oil in the crank case.

It is an important object of our invention to provide a device of this character which will not only maintain the oil in a crank case at a desired temperature, so as to prevent the congealing thereof by cold, for facilitating starting of the internal combustion engine and for providing for quicker initial circulation of the oil, and for reducing friction damage in the internal combustion engine, by heating the oil so as to convert the 15 same from a congealed state to a more uid state at a higher temperature, or to maintain the crank case oil against becoming congealed, but which will at the same time purify and clean the oil so as to maintain and improve the lubricating qualities thereof.

It is also an important object of our invention to provide a device having the functions and .capabilities described, which is simple and inexjlpensive to manufacturerand install, which is einy T cient and fool-proof in operation, and is readily I" to provide a device of the character described which is operated by electricity, and the heating element thereof as well as other parts will have a certain catalytic beneficial action upon the oil in the crank case during the operation thereof.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawing, wherein for purposes of illustration we have shown a preferred embodiment of our invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the crank case showing the arrangement therein of an embodiment of the invention, and showing also diagrammatically the electrical connections.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View through a portion of the embodiment.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view therethrough.

Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the same,

the numeral 5 designates generally a typical crank case having a vertical wall 6 and iilled with engine oil to a level which may be that indicated i generally by the numeral 7. Mounted in the lower part of the wall 6 so as to (c1. 21e-ss) E be disposed below the normal level of the oil 7 is the U-shaped oil heating and purifying unit generally designated 8 with which the engine oil in the crank case is normally in intimate contact.

For mounting the unit 8 in the crank case a 60 pair of openings is provided in the wall 6 through which passes a preferably brass pipe 9 whichhas threaded nipples 10, 11 on which are disposed compression nuts 12, 13 engaging adjacent washf ers 14, 15 for compressing the washers against .6.5 the opposite sides of the wall 6 for securely closing the openings in the wall against the escape of oil.

Outward of the crankcase and on each nipple 11 is threaded a nut 16 and the securing adapter 70 17 which coacts with it for securing any suitable form of tubing in communication with the nipple 11 for holding the negative conductor 18 or the positive conductor 19 which are led through the .pipe 9.

The unit 8 is generally U-shaped in form and is composed .of legs 20, 21 each of which comprises an outer cast aluminum tubing 22 and an inner ber or other suitable insulating material tube'23 which is close iitting therein. Either 80 end of the aluminum outside tube 22 is exteriorly threaded as indicated at 24 to enable the tube 22 to be screwed into the ends of a U-shaped fitting 25 at one end and cup-like heads 26 at the other fgf, end. As seen in Figure 2 the insulator tube 23 8.5 is continuous through the U-shaped fitting 25.

The nipples 10 are screwed into the ends of the cup-shaped ttings 26.

A spiral resistance wire heating element 28 eX- tends from the cap 26 on the leg 20 through the 90 leg 20 and the U-shaped portion 27 and through the leg 21 within the insulator tube 23 to the other cap 26. The conductor 18 and the conductor 19 are brought through the tubes 9 and coni1 nected to the ends of the heating element 28 in an 95 obvious manner, the conductors within the tubes 9 being surrounded with suitable insulating material so that they are insulated from the tubes and the oil is prevented from leaking from the :j: crankcase through the tubes 9.

As shown in Figures 1, the unit 8 has preferably a generally horizontal position.

The legs 20, 21 are provided with series of holes 29 which pass through the outside metallic tube g 22 and the inside insulating tube 23 whereby to 105 pass the oil from the crank case into the interior of the unit 8 into contact with the heating element 28. It will be clear that the oil is circulated through the holes 29 and around and about the ii heating element so that catalytic beneficial actions besides thse'accruing from the heating of the oil, will favorably affect the oil and result in cleaning and purifying the same, as Well as maintaining the same at a desirable temperature.

The conductor 18 is connected to one side of a rheostat switch 30. The other side of the rheostat switch is connected to one side of an ammeter 3l, and the ammeter is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy generally designated 32 which may be the battery of the car in the crank case of which the device of the inven-V tion is located, or it may be a source of house current which may have an outlet in the garage,`

whereby the device may be left in operationy during the storage of the car. and prevent congealing of the oil in the crank case, and dissipate the taking up of condensation in the motor by theoil in the crank case, while the car is in storage. The other side of the source electrical energy 'is connected by the positive conductor 19 to the unit 8 and grounded as indicated at 33.

This furnishesmeans for regulating the amount o f currentsupplied to the unit 3 whereby the heating eiect thereof may be controlled and set at a predetermined point. Of course, the switch 30 and the `ammeter 3l may be made to form part of the instrument panel of the car and be L'within'easy reach of the operator thereof.

lThough wehave shown and described herein a preferredembodiment of our invention, itis to be definitely understood that we do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in material and structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of .the subjoined claims.

l. A crank case oil heater comprising-tubular means having a portion traversing a wall of the crank case and a second portion within the crank case below the level of the oil therein, said'second portion being perforated to admit the oil thereinto, tubular dielectric means fitted within the bore of said second portion, an electrical heating coil extending in and contacting the interior of said tubular dielectric means, said tubular dielectric means having perforations registered with the perforations of said second portion to admit oil to contact the heating coil.

2. A crank case oil heater and purifier cornprising a tubular support having a portion within the crank case below the level of the oil and a second portion extending outwardly through a side of the crank case, a tubular insulator itted in the bore of said rst portion, an electrical heating coil of catalytic material extending in and supported by the interior walls of said insulator, the'wallsof said first portion and said insulator being provided-with registering holes to -admit and circulate oil in contact with said heating coil forl heating the oil purifying the same by catalytic action.

3. A crank case heater of the character described; said heater'consisting of a U-shaped tube havingouter end portions of its legs traversing a wall of the crank case, the part of the U-shaped tube -within the crank case having holes in# its walls, a tubular insulatorextending in and engaging the interior of said part of said tubewithin the crankcase and having holes registering with the holes in saidtube,.and a helical coil of resistance wire extending within said tubular insulator and supported by the interior walls thereof.

4. A crank case heater of the character described, said heater consisting of a U-shaped tube having outer end portions of its legs traversing a wall of the crank case, the part of the U-shaped tube within the crank case having holes in its walls, a tubularinsulator extending in and engaging the interior oisaid part of said tube fwithin the crankcase and having holes registering With the holes in said tube, and a helical coil ofresistance wire extending Within said tubular insulator and supported by the interior walls thereof, the bight portion of said U-shaped-tube-f- 

